Fluids requiring treatment or filtration for further use exist in a number of different fields, ranging from the production of potable water, to dairy products, to paper goods. In order to reduce the amount of waste water and make efficient use of our natural resources, numerous techniques have been developed to treat and filter these fluids. However, these techniques have various drawbacks related to difficulty of operation, expense, and inefficiency.
One example of a fluid that requires treatment is slop oil. Slop oil is a mixture of oil, chemicals, and water that results from the drilling process. It is a concern at virtually every drilling site, as it is considered a hazardous waste. Up-stream producers of oil strive to minimize the generation of slop oil, and have employed a number of different techniques to treat or otherwise dispose of these waste streams. Some methods include depositing the waste in a waste pit, which are now known to contaminate local groundwater due to seepage. Other methods include gravity settling, which is a slow and often ineffective process, and may further require the use of expensive chemicals and large quantities of storage space. Filter presses suffer due to the inability to treat large volumes of waste water. Finally, incineration is expensive and does not allow for the recovery of the individual components of the waste stream (e.g., water and oil).
It is desirable to have a system and method for treating all types of waste streams that is inexpensive and effective over a wide range of technologies.